HIST 151—American History to 1877
“To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child.”—Cicero
Instructor:
Dr. Jeffrey Perry
perry30@purdue.edu
Office: REC 419, MW 12-1 PM
Fall 2015 Course Info:
MW: 9:30-10:20 (WTHR 320)
F: 8:30-9:20, 9:30-10:20, 11:30-12:20, 2:30-3:20 (UNIV 301)
Teaching Assistants:
Amanda Rumba
reason@purdue.edu
Office Hours: REC 420, M 10:30-11:30
Max Campbell
campbell@purdue.edu
Office Hours: REC 410, TR 1:30-2:30
Course Introduction: This course is designed to introduce students to American history from the initial contact
of Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans on the North American continent through the Civil War Era. We
will follow a chronological path, interweaving economic, political, and cultural change, in order to better
understand how these forces interacted in the American past. For instance, how did change in the political
structure from the colonial period to the post-Revolutionary era affect the lives of individuals: men and women,
black and white, native and foreign? How did expansion of the United States westward during the early 19th
century exacerbate sectional tensions between North and South? By focusing on larger structural transformations
as well as the actions of individuals and groups, we will see how change emanated from different levels of
society, and how a disparate group of colonies (and then states) defined an American identity.
Class meetings will consist primarily of lectures, with a handful of discussion meetings scheduled throughout
the semester. I encourage you to participate, ask questions, and instigate relevant discussions in both our fullclass meetings on Monday and Wednesdays and in Friday Recitation blocks.
Course Objectives: This course is designed to help students to develop:
1. A stronger ability to assess and think critically about historical problems/issues and the ways in which
they might be interpreted.
2. An understanding of why history is important and why it matters.
3. A basic factual and thematic knowledge of this historical place and time period.
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Textbook: Tindall and Shi, America: A Narrative History, Brief 9th Edition, Volume 1
Readings Posted on BlackBoard:
Berlin, “Prologue: Making Slavery, Making Race,” from Many Thousands Gone: The First Two
Centuries of Slavery in North America
Kaye, “Neighborhoods and Nat Turner: The Making of a Slave Rebel and the Unmaking of a Slave
Rebellion”
Huston, “Southerners against Secession: The Arguments of the Constitutional
Unionists in 1850-1851”
Zinn, “As Long as Grass Grows or the Water Runs” from A People’s History of
the United States.
Selections from: Thomas Paine, Common Sense, James Chalmers, Plain Truth, Frederick Douglass,
The Reasons for Our Troubles
Assignments: Students should complete each week’s readings prior to coming to class on Monday. There
will be six unannounced quizzes throughout the semester. Make-ups for these will not be given under any
circumstances. Your quiz with the lowest score, however, will be dropped. Together these quizzes amount to
50 points, or 25% of your total grade for the class. Information from both lectures and assigned readings are
fair game. Quizzes are also open-note and open-book, so be sure to bring your textbook to class and to keep up
with your notes.
On days scheduled to discuss an outside reading, there will be a written response due at the beginning of class.
It will address questions posted on BlackBoard by me, and worth 20 points each. A Rubric complete with point
distribution for these assignments will be posted along with the question. Participation in class discussions is
also worth 20 points.
Exams: There will be three exams, worth a total of 150 points, 50% of your final grade. Friday Exams will
be held during our normal class time (9:30-10:20) in WTHR 320! There will be no Recitation meetings
on Exam days. The exams will consist of short identification and one essay question. The essay question will
be provided to the students ahead of time (along with a more general review sheet) and will draw from outside
readings (Berlin, Kaye, Zinn, Huston), and the textbook (Tindall and Shi), as well as my class lectures. Makeup exams will not be given unless you have a written excuse for medical issues, special needs, or family tragedy.
Grading: Grades will be based on a total of 300 possible points.
279-300 = A
270-278 = A260-269 = B+
248-259 = B
239-247 = B230-238 = C+
218-229 = C
209-217 = C200-208 = D+
188-199 = D
179-187 = D-
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0-178 = F
Attendance: It is your responsibility to attend all class meetings. I do not take roll. There will be six informal,
in-class quizzes worth ten points each administered throughout the semester without prior warning. Make-ups
for these, as stated above, will not be given. Also, the weeks in which we read from outside the textbook, a
discussion session will take place during the Friday Recitation block. Attendance and participation in these
informal discussions will benefit you and your participation grade, which, remember, is worth 20 points.
Please turn off or silence all handheld devices. Laptops are allowed, but individual restrictions may apply if it is
used inappropriately.
Classroom Etiquette: Each voice in the classroom has something of value to contribute. Please respect the
different experiences, beliefs and values expressed by everyone involved in this course. Individuals of all ages,
backgrounds, citizenships, disability, sex, education, ethnicities, family statuses, genders, gender identities,
geographical locations, languages, military experience, political views, races, religions, sexual orientations,
socioeconomic statuses, and work experiences are welcomed and valued. If you have any comments or concerns
about the classroom environment, please contact Dr. Perry or one of the Teaching Assistants, Amanda and Max.
Preferred Names and Pronouns: If you have a preferred name and/or preferred pronouns that you would like
me to use, please let me know. Preferred names should appear in the database I receive from the Registrar and I
will use those. If your preferred name does not appear in the database or if you have questions, please see me.
FYI – In order for your preferred name to appear in the database supplied by the registrar and on Blackboard,
you have to put your preferred name in the MyPurdue system online.
Cheating/Plagiarism: Plagiarism refers to the reproduction of another's words or ideas without proper
attribution. University Regulations contains further information on dishonesty. Plagiarism and other forms of
academic dishonesty are serious offenses, and will be treated as such in this class. You are expected to produce
your own work and to accurately cite all necessary materials. Cheating, plagiarism, and other dishonest practices
will be punished as harshly as Purdue University policies allow. Any instances of academic dishonesty will
likely result in a grade of F for the course and notification of the Dean of Students Office. See University
Regulations for details.
Disclaimer: In the event of a major campus emergency, the above requirements, deadlines and grading policies
are subject to changes that may be required by a revised semester calendar. Any such changes in this course will
be posted once the course resumes on Blackboard or can be obtained by contacting the professor via email.
Lectures and Weekly Readings:
Week One—August 24-28th
- Readings: America: A Narrative History, Chap. 1.
o Monday—Introduction
o Wednesday—Life in the Old and New Worlds
o Friday—Religion and Early Exploration/Settlement (Recitation)
Week Two—Aug. 31-Sept. 4th
- Readings: America: pp. 32-49, 68-80.
o Monday—Jamestown: Death and Cannibalism
o Wednesday—Settlement and Tobacco
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Friday—New England and the Puritan Vision (Recitation)
Week Three—Sept. 7-11th
- Readings: Berlin, “Making Slavery, Making Race”—Written Response due Friday, 9/11
o Monday—NO CLASS, Labor Day
o Wednesday—Puritan Vision Continued and the Early South
o Friday—Early South continued and Discussion of Berlin Article (Recitation)
Week Four—Sept. 14-18th
- Readings: America: pp. 55-65, 86-91.
o Monday—The Middle Passage
o Wednesday—The Middle Colonies
o Friday—Middle Colonies cont. (Recitation)
Week Five—Sept. 21-25th
- Readings: America: pp. 92-99.
o Monday—Enlightening, Refining, and Awakening the Colonies
o Wednesday—The Awakening Continues and Review
o Friday—EXAM #1 (ALL MEET IN WTHR 320 at 9:30)
Week Six—Sept. 28-Oct. 2nd
- Readings: America: Chap. 4 AND selections from Paine, Common Sense and Chalmers, Plain Truth
(BB)
o Monday—Seven Years’ War and Beyond
o Wednesday—Discontented Subjects
o Friday—Society in Revolution (Recitation)
Week Seven—Oct. 5-9th
- Readings: America: Chap. 5
o Monday—Society in Revolution continued
o Wednesday—Creating a New Nation
o Discontented Citizens (Recitation)
Week Eight—Oct. 12-16th
- Readings: America: Chaps. 6 & 7
o Monday—FALL BREAK, NO CLASS
o Wednesday—Politics and the Early Republic
o Friday—Securing the Nation (Recitation)
Week Nine—Oct. 19-23rd
- Readings: America: Chaps. 8 & 9
o Monday—Jefferson/War of 1812
o Wednesday—Expansion, Nationalism, and Good Feelings
o Friday—EXAM #2 (ALL MEET IN WTHR 320 at 9:30)
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Week Ten—Oct. 26-30th
- Readings: America: Chaps. 10, 13 AND Zinn, “As Long as Grass Grows or the Water Runs”
o Monday— Era of Good Feelings cont./The 2nd Party System
o Wednesday— Awakened Again: Religion and Reform
o Friday—No Class (Written Response for Zinn due in email form by 5 PM)
Week Eleven—Nov. 2-6th
- Readings: America: Chap. 12 AND Kaye, “Neighborhoods and Nat Turner”
o Monday—The Old South and the Slave institution
o Wednesday—Slave Life and Rebellion
o Friday—Discussion of Kaye and Zinn articles (Written Response to Kaye due in-class)
(Recitation)
Week Twelve—Nov. 9-13th
- Readings: America: Chaps. 11 & 13
o Monday—Politics of the 1830s
o Wednesday— Manifest Destiny and the Mexican War
o Friday— Mexican War and Negotiating Peace at Home (Recitation)
Week Thirteen—Nov. 16-20th
- Readings: America: Chap. 15 AND Huston, “Southerners Against Secession”
o Monday—Sectional Crisis and the 1850s
o Wednesday—The End of the 1850s
o Friday— Discussion of Huston (Written Response to Huston due in class) (Recitation)
Week Fourteen—Nov. 23-27th (Thanksgiving Week)
- Readings: Excerpt from Frederick Douglass, The Reasons for Our Troubles (1862) (BB)
o Monday— Lincoln and the Election of 1860
o Wednesday—NO CLASS
o Friday—NO CLASS
Week Fifteen—Nov. 30-Dec. 4th
- Readings: America: Chapter 16 & 17
o Monday—The War
o Wednesday—Radical Reconstruction
o Friday—Reconstructing the South? (Recitation)
Week Sixteen—Dec. 7-11th
- Readings: Catchup on all readings since last exam.
o Monday—Grant and the End of Reconstruction
o Wednesday—Loose Ends and Exam Review
o Friday—TBA
**FINAL EXAM DATE AND TIME—TBA**
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